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Cacao was first used by the Mayan civilization in Central America. It began to be used in Europe in the 16th century and quickly became popular as a health-enhancing medicine. Today, cacao is mainly used for the production of chocolate, which has many health benefits.
1. Cocoa is rich in Polyphenols – natural antioxidants
Polyphenols are natural antioxidants found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, tea, chocolate and wine. They provide a wide range of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, supporting blood circulation, lowering blood pressure and reducing cholesterol and blood sugar.
Cocoa is one of the richest sources of polyphenols, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, processing and heating cocoa can cause it to lose these beneficial properties. Cocoa is also often treated with alkali to reduce bitterness, resulting in a 60% reduction in polyphenol content.
So while cocoa is a great source of polyphenols, not all cocoa-containing products will provide the same health benefits.
2. Cacao Lowers High Blood Pressure by Improving Nitric Oxide Levels
Cacao, both in powder form and in dark chocolate, may help lower blood pressure. This finding was first noted in cocoa-drinking islanders in Central America. Those who regularly consumed cocoa had significantly lower blood pressure than those who did not. The flavanols in cocoa are thought to improve nitric oxide levels in the blood, improving the function of blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.
The blood pressure-lowering effect was more pronounced in people who already had high blood pressure and older people than in those who did not have the condition and were younger. However, it is important to remember that processing significantly reduces the amount of flavanols, so the effect may not be as pronounced in chocolate bars in general.
3. May Reduce the Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes
In addition to lowering blood pressure, cocoa has other properties that may reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Cocoa is rich in flavanols, which can improve nitric oxide levels in the blood, helping to relax and dilate arteries and blood vessels and improve blood flow.
In addition, cocoa also helps reduce bad LDL cholesterol, thins the blood like aspirin, improves blood sugar levels and reduces inflammation. This helps reduce the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes
Two studies in Sweden showed that eating 19-30 grams of chocolate per day was associated with a lower rate of heart failure. However, eating more than the recommended amount did not have any better effects. This proves that regularly consuming a small piece of cocoa-rich chocolate can help protect your heart.
4. Polyphenols Improve Blood Flow to the Brain and Brain Function
Several studies have shown that foods high in polyphenols, such as cocoa, may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by improving brain function and blood flow.
Flavanols also influence the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessel muscles and improves blood flow and blood supply to your brain.
A two-week study in 34 older adults who were supplemented with cocoa flavanols showed an 8% increase in blood flow to the brain after one week and a 10% increase after two weeks. Further studies have shown that daily consumption of cocoa flavanols can improve mental performance in both people with and without mental impairment.
These studies suggest that cocoa has a positive role in brain health and a positive impact on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
5. May Improve Mood and Depression Symptoms in Multiple Ways
In addition to cocoa’s positive effects on age-related mental decline, its effects on the brain may also improve mood and depression symptoms.
The positive effects on mood may be due to the flavanols in cocoa converting tryptophan into serotonin, which has a natural mood-stabilizing effect due to its caffeine content, or simply because people often feel happy when eating chocolate.
A study of chocolate consumption and stress levels in pregnant women found that regular chocolate consumption reduced stress and improved mood in newborns after birth.
Furthermore, another study found that consuming cocoa polyphenols improved calmness and increased feelings of satisfaction. Additionally, a study in older men found that eating dark chocolate improved overall health and boosted psychological well-being.
6. Flavanols May Improve Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Many people think that eating a lot of chocolate is definitely bad for blood sugar control, but on the contrary, cocoa has some anti-diabetic effects.
Test-tube studies show that flavanols in cocoa can slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the gut, improve insulin secretion, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the uptake of sugar from the blood into the muscles.
Intake of high amounts of flavanols in foods like cocoa is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. One study in humans found that eating dark chocolate or cocoa rich in flavanols may reduce insulin sensitivity, improve blood sugar control, and reduce inflammation in people with and without diabetes.
7. May Help Control Weight Surprisingly
It may come as a surprise that taking cocoa supplements, even in the form of chocolate, may help you control your weight. Cocoa helps regulate energy expenditure, reduces appetite, reduces inflammation, increases fat oxidation, and increases feelings of fullness.
A large study found that people who consumed chocolate more frequently had lower BMIs than those who ate less, even though this group had previously consumed more calories and fat.
Additionally, a weight loss study using a low-carbohydrate diet found that a group of subjects supplemented with 42 grams of dark chocolate containing 81% cocoa per day lost more weight than a group that followed a standard diet.
8. Cocoa Helps Fight Cancer
Flavanols in fruits, vegetables, and foods have attracted a lot of scientific attention due to their anti-cancer properties, low toxicity, and few adverse side effects.
Cocoa has the highest concentration of flavanols of all the foods listed above. Test-tube studies have shown that cocoa has anti-inflammatory effects, inhibits the growth of cancer cells, and helps prevent the spread of cancer cells.
Animal studies using cocoa-rich diets have shown positive results in reducing breast, pancreatic, prostate, liver, colon, and nasopharyngeal cancers.
Human studies have shown that diets high in flavanols reduce the risk of cancer. However, the evidence for cocoa’s effects on cancer is conflicting, with some studies not seeing the expected results and even increasing the risk of cancer.
9. Theobromine and Theophylline May Be Good for People With Asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes airway obstruction and inflammation and can be life-threatening. Cacao may be beneficial for people with asthma, as it contains anti-asthmatic compounds, such as theobromine and theophylline.
Theobromine may help relieve persistent coughs. 100 grams of cacao can provide 1.9 grams of theobromine. Theophylline helps your lungs expand, your airways relax, and reduces inflammation.
Animal studies have shown that cocoa extract can reduce both airway constriction and tissue thickness. However, these findings have not been clinically tested in humans, and it is unclear whether cacao is safe to use with other anti-asthma medications.
10. Antibacterial and immunostimulant properties that may benefit teeth and skin
Cocoa contains many compounds with antibacterial, anti-enzyme and immunostimulant properties that are beneficial for oral health. However, the majority of cocoa products on the market contain sugar. Therefore, new products should be developed to promote the oral health benefits of cocoa.
Cocoa polyphenols have shown significant benefits for the skin. Long-term consumption of cocoa has been shown to provide sun protection, increase blood circulation in the skin and improve surface texture and hydration.
11. Easy to incorporate into the diet
The European Food Safety Authority recommends adding 2.5 grams of flavanol cocoa powder or 10 grams of dark chocolate containing at least 200 mg of flavanols to the diet each day to achieve cardiovascular health benefits.
However, this number has been considered by some other researchers to be too low for cocoa to have cardiovascular benefits. Overall, it is important to choose cocoa sources that are high in flavanols – the less processed the better.